Book Review #2: Life of Pi by Yann Martell

This book is well worth reading. I would rate it 4.5 out of 5. Definately a book worthy of being on the “1001 books to read before you die” list. I am glad I chose this book on my TBR book pile challenge list.

This book is about a man called Pi Patel. His life where he is surrounded by beautiful animals and a lot of religion. We travel with Pi through his life as he goes to school, gets bullied, finds religion. Then the story abruptly moves onto the main story where Pi is on a cargo ship which ends up being his life boat for a 227 day journey of being lost at sea with a very unusual pick of animals, which include: a Bengal Tiger, an Orangutan, a Hyena, and a Zebra.

The book is very well written. With many gory details of survival tactics, the torture of starvation, survival, and the elements all betting against him.

Martell has an amazing way with words. His descriptions are so well written that when Pi suffers, you feel his pain.

I love the way the author describes the animals. Each one so precisely written that they come alive in your imagination with every word that Martell feeds us.

I hated the ending to this book. I would have much more enjoyed the book if it had finished at the point before the interviews took place. I wont go into detail here, I would even advise you stop reading once you and the Tiger see the last of each other.

The last 10% throw the entire story into a different context. But it also reminds us of what we believe and what we think we should believe can be entirely different. Different perspectives, but I will always choose the more beautiful story with the animals. 🙂

Please add to my review and say if you would choose the version with the animals or without!